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In the U.S., they ask about the new leadership of the BCRA
Clarin
February 08, 2010

The number two to Arturo Valenzuela made his unease known to Alberto Fernandez.

by Ana Baron

The meetings that the ex-chief of the Cabinet, Alberto Fernndez, had on Friday at the State Department and in the National Security Council in Washington gave a glimpse into the unease that the government of Barack Obama has currently with respect to Argentina: what will Mercedes Marco del Pont do as head of the Central Bank? What's the future of the Bicentennial Fund? How can bilateral relations be reordered after the tensions created by the visit of Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela to Buenos Aires?

Fernndez told Clarin that it was Craig Kelly, the number two to Arturo Valenzuela, who asked about Mercedes Marc del Pont. Fernndez gave him nothing but good references. His attitude was more critical, however, when Craig wanted to know about the Bicentennial Fund. "I explained to him that it had been badly handled in court because when they wanted to establish the fund they neglected the historic defense that Argentina has made before the courts of New York saying that the reserves are the Central Bank's and not the government's and as such cannot be embargoed. The creditors insist on the Central Bank being an alter ego of the government." And he added that what "complicated even further the perception of everyone is when Anibal Fernandez came out to say that the cash belongs to all Argentines and we are doing what we want with this money, that was fatal because it broke with the logic that we've been using for the last five years."

When they asked about the political situation, "I told Craig as well as Restrepo about the need for the government to be able to govern for these next two years. I gave my frightful view of the opposition and commented to them that the Peronists has to build an alternative to what exists; that if Reutemann decides to be, he will be the candidate."

Fernndez arrived in Washington on Thursday completely incognito. The ex-Cabiner Chief explained that he preferred to not ask Ambassador Hctor Timerman to accompany him in the meetings "because according to what they said to me here, the State Department has no time for him. They know that it was he who counseled President Cristina to not receive Valenzuela."

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